When the Big East raided Conference USA for some of the league's best teams after the 2005 season, the raid left Conference USA in a state of disarray.
C-USA had routinely put four teams in the NCAA Tournament since its inception in 1995, but the NCAA Tournament stalwarts from the conference were Louisville, Cincinnati, Marquette, and Memphis.
Suddenly, three of the teams Conference USA hung its hat on were gone.
After three years of receiving a total of four NCAA Tournament berths (three of which belong to Memphis), Conference USA is making a comeback in the 2008-2009 season.
The league is arguably the strongest it's been since the Big East went pillaging three years ago.
As many as four different teams have legitimate NCAA Tournament hopes, while several more should be planning to go dancing in the NIT.
Teams That Could be Headed to a Four-Letter Tournament
Memphis
The Tigers have dominated Conference USA since Louisville, Cincinnati, Marquette, and South Florida bailed on the league. Memphis has won 42 consecutive league games and has lost only one game against C-USA competition in the past three years.
John Calipari's program is a pipeline for professional talent, sending three players to the NBA last year alone.
This year, things are a bit different for Calipari. He's got the weapons to run his dribble-drive motion offense, but those weapons aren't nearly as deadly as years past.
Memphis lacks depth in the frontcourt and can't really hit free throws again, but that doesn't mean this team won't be very good.
The Tigers have one of the best freshmen in the country in Tyreke Evans, super senior Antonio Anderson, who flirted with the NBA draft last year, and two stud big men in Shawn Taggart and Robert Dozier.
Memphis is the best team in Conference USA, but just barely. The Tigers will win the conference and head to the NCAA Tournament as a five seed.
UAB
Mike Davis finally has the Blazers ready to compete with Memphis. It's taken him two years since he took over the program from Mike Anderson before the 2006 season.
The Blazers have an extremely talented nucleus of players, headlined by one of the best streak shooters in the country, Robert Vaden. Just ask Kentucky what he can do when he gets hot.
Vaden won't have to do it all himself.
Fifth-year senior Paul Delaney III can really score. After blowing out his knee last year, Delaney is back, healthy, and scoring. Delaney is averaging 17 points per game and knocking down six free throws per game so far.
Forward Lawrence Kinnard is averaging almost a double-double, but can also step out and hit a three.
UAB isn't quite as talented as Memphis, at least on paper, but the Blazers should challenge the Tigers for the league crown.
UAB should make it into the NCAA Tournament as a seven or eight seed.
10 comments Last one added 7 months ago — Leave a Comment
Tim Pollock 7 months ago
I seriously hate the C-USA. Hate the whole conference. And I've never been sold on Vaden.
Well done, though, presenting each team.
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Jameson Fleming 7 months ago
Tell me how you really feel about the conference team haha.
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Ari Kramer 7 months ago
I don't think there is anything in college basketball that I love more than seeing Memphis lose. I hope that UAB or So. Miss or UTEP beat up on Memphis during conference play. UAB certainly seems most capable.
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Jameson Fleming 7 months ago
Last year I loved Memphis. I thought the Tigers were vastly underrated all year and then they let me down in the NCAA Tournament. This year I thought they were terribly overrated and didn't deserve that no. 12 ranking they had. So this year I'm hoping UAB can take over as conference champions, but I think they may fall just short.
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Vick Pat 7 months ago
Memphis will still be really good. I Think C-USA is going to have three teams in the NCAA ( Memphis, UAB, UTEP). But the Blog is quite accurate on the breakdown. Here's my picks
NCAA= Memphis, 3 seed. UAB, 7 seed. UTEP, 11 seed
NIT = S. Miss, 1 seed, Tulsa, 2 Seed. Houston, 6 seed
CBI = Marshall
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Jameson Fleming 7 months ago
Getting three teams in is going to really depend on how good Memphis is. If the Tigers are good enough that they roll against everyone, but UAB, only two teams are getting in. Those second tier teams like Southern Miss and UTEP need a win over Memphis/UAB to get them in.
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Roderick Turner 7 months ago
It's Paul Delaney III not Patrick. I know honest mistake. And I wouldn't call Vaden a "streaky shooter". He is actually a very good 3-pt shooter that can be very dangerous if not kept in check. I really like Tulsa chances as the 3rd choice for a possible NCAA bid over UTEP and Southern Miss.
Good read but we all know that teams like UAB, Tulsa, USM and UTEP need to prove it on the court.
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Jameson Fleming 7 months ago
Thanks for pointing out the Delaney thing. I still think Vaden can be more of a streaky shooter than a consistent shooter.
Tulsa really needs its inside-outside combo to really come through for the Hurricanes to finish in the top 3.
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Marcus Jones 7 months ago
Watch out for ECU.
If I had read this article before the season began I would agree with you 100%. How can an ECU fan get excited with a team that has won 25 games in the last 3 years? How does a ECU fan get excited when we lose 3 players to transfers before the season? How good can a team be with just 4 upper class men and 10 under classmen? How does a ECU fan get excited when the last winning season was 00-01?
I will answer that, when they start the season 4-1 (and looked good doing it). I know, I know; two of those wins came from DII teams, well they beat both of them by an average of 25.5 points! In years past if we just beat them that was a miracle. Then we played George Mason and VCU, losing by 6 to Mason (in the last 1.5 minutes) and beating VCU in OT. This has gotten the attention of many in Pirate Nation, a nation that loves its football but most didn’t even know we have a basketball team.
What has sparked this sudden change? First Mack McCarthy! A proven coach (.620 in 17 seasons) that has been there and done that. In his first year (as an interim coach) he did the impossible, beat an ACC school (maybe it was because it was the first year an ACC school had stepped foot in Minges, 50+ games) and tied our highest conference win at 5 games. Then there is our senior leadership of Sam Hinnant and James Legan both deadly with the 3 and very good playmakers. Also watch out for freshman Darrius Morrow, he already has 2 double doubles this year!
I don’t see us going to the NCAA Tournament or the NIT (this year), maybe the CBI, but who knows. If the team plays the rest of the season the way they have started, watch for ECU to surprise some of those good teams in CUSA. From what I have seen so far I would not be at all surprised if ECU goes over .500 this season.
MJ
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Jameson Fleming 7 months ago
Yeah as I was writing this I was looking at the Conference USA standings and saw that ECU was off to a nice start, but I had read what went on during the off season so held off any kind of mention post season wise in the article. But then last night I was checking the scores and saw the upset of VCU and now the Pirates are on my radar. Going over .500 in Conference USA is going to be tough with the six good teams ahead of them, but a 7-9 or 8-8 record would definitely be a good start for the Pirates.
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